Now that the website is finished, I’m catching up on blogging recent winter sessions! But in honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m pausing to share the story of our FIRST Valentine’s Day… in all its glory. May it give you hope, if yours  isn’t perfect either.

 

Our first Valentine’s day was 10 years ago today. We were 17 – I was living in Germany, while Ben was in Virginia, so this was complication #1. We had known each other for all of 7 months, and having only met a week before my family moved to Europe, we were still in the “flirty friend phase.” We spent hours on the phone together each week, and these phone dates became the highlight of my week – so much so that I scheduled them in my planner, like any “J” on the Meyer’s Briggs would! Though we weren’t dating, my 17 year old, pink loving, chick flick loving, chocolate loving, Ben-loving self fully expected to celebrate February 14th.

 

If he only knew.

 

We had scheduled to talk on the phone that night – it was about the best we could do with a 6 hour time difference, and the Atlantic ocean between us! My friends were planning a big group date night in the city, with all of their significant others, and though I had serious FOMO, I told them I couldn’t go – I didn’t want to miss my phone call with Ben on Valentine’s Day! Wanting him to call me and take the first step, I waited. And waited. I checked my planner. And waited… But nothing…

 

That was the first and last time Ben ever forgot about Valentine’s Day.

 

Poor guy, he simply forgot about the call, which happened to be on one of my favorite holidays… it was the perfect storm! I’m happy to say, though there may have been a few days of the ever so mature Silent Treatment, we were able to resolve our first argument, and moved on to become best friends. So here’s to Valentine’s Day, and the times it doesn’t go as planned, and the gems we learn from it. 🙂

 

In memory of our high school days! (Ben was in his braces-so-I-don’t-smile phase)